Many people think that, if they run a small business, they

do not need to worry about office policies and

procedures.

In fact, they may feel that when they only employ a few

people, it will be easy to keep track of what each

employee should be doing. However, office

procedures are extremely vital, especially in small

businesses.

In a small business environment, it is easy for employees

to become very comfortable in their work environment,

feeling more like their coworkers and boss are friends and not

professional peers. It is easier for this to happen in a small

business because the environment is so much smaller.

Because of this, even the most well meaning employees

can begin to overstep their bounds. They may lose track of

what their job actually is, and they may begin to forget that

you are the boss and not their friend.

Even if you only have two or three employees, a set of standard

office procedures is very important. However, since you do not

already have the procedures in place, you may have some

questions that need answers.

1. What needs to be included in office procedures? The first

section should be about how standard workflow items need to

be handled in your office. In order to get these procedures in

place, you may even wish to have your employees write down

everything they do. Then you can use this information to

create workflow charts or lists.

In addition, you need to include procedures in case of

emergency, such as how a fire would be handled or what to

do if a robbery takes place. In emergencies, employees may

panic, but if they already know what procedures are in place,

they will better be able to handle the situation.

2. Do I need to include information about each employee's

job? Part of your standard office procedures should be the

responsibilities of each employee. This should line up

everything the employee is expected to do each day, who they

answer to, and what they should do if they have a problem.

3. Should I include anything about conflicts? This is another

important area. Make sure you include information on how

conflicts should be resolved, whom an employee should talk to

if they have a concern, and how situations will be investigated.